Combination plug-in electrical socket and switch



Sept. 22, 1959 Q1. SCHMIER 9 y} COMBINATION PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND SWITCH 2 Sheets-Shef'l v Filed Dec. '19, 1957 INVENTOR. JACOB SCHMIER BY ATTORNEYS p 1959 J. SCHMIER 2,905,779

COMBINATION PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND SWITCH Filed Dec. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JACOB SCHMIER ATTORNEYS United States Patent comma-Tron PLUG-1N ELECTRIC-AL soc-Kira AND SWITCH factoring Co., I nc., Emmaus, Pa., a corporation of Transylvania Application December 19, 19.5.7, Serial .No. 703,943 "1 or. zoo-51.17

, My invention relates 'to a plug-in 'electricalsocket embotly'in g a combined plug-in "contacts and switch and a small electric light bulb. in the prior art patents, small electrical socketsernbodying a plug, a switch, and a small electric light bulb have been used but they have been relatively complex and of 'costly construction. These y 2,905,179 da-tented Sept. 22, 1959 2 and "B, together provide the housing or casing for the electrical components hereinafter further described and also provide "a holding "means for the electrical com- 'ponents. The molded shell portion A also provides a 5 shade for a bulb or lamp. A prong terminal, generally combined lamp and lamp holders arecustomarily itermed and .usedas night'light" wherein a 7% watt electric light bulb can be -plugged in, "in order to serve "as a guide to the bathroom, stairway, childs nursery and where a person convalescing.

fit is an object of "the present invention to provide a molded -shell wherein the parts of the shell serve to hold the electrical components.

Anotherobject. of my invention to provide F3. molded shell wherein rt-he electrical components may be inserted into complementary cavities within the shells and when the, shell cavities are fitted together the entire unit'; is assembled. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a night light which is extremely simple and can be easily assembled without the use of complicated jigs or tools.

With the above and related objects in view my invention comprises two molded, separable shells, having cavities wherein electrical plug terminals may be inserted through the shell from the interior portion of the shell, wherein a switch mechanism is fitted into position, and wherein a lamp holding socket is held in position.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy inrconstrpction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a night light embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the elements comprising my invention wherein the view is taken from the prongs looking towards the portion of the shell having the shade.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the shell portion through which the prongs project.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the night light viewing it from the direction of the switch knob and the shade cavity.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 except that the switch is in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to the perspective view of Fig. 2, but wherein the view is from the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a combination plug-in electrical socket and switch, known as a night light, comp-rising a molded shell, generally designated as A, which is complementary to the molded shell B. The molded shells A is designated as C, serves to provide one electrical contact Jacob Schmier, Allentown, Pa., .assign'or to Rodale Manuand also serves to be one contact of an electrical switch.

.A second spring contact, generally'designated as D, coniplementary to the contact '0 is engaged by a rotatable insulated shaft, generally designated as E, which "acts as a control shaft for't'he'electrical'switchof the night light. The control shaft E is mounted upon the molded shell A. I The spring contact D is adapted to have one end thereof engaged by onecont-act-of the lamp or screw type of bulb. The second prong 'F serves .to complete the electrical circuit to "a convenience receptacle and also has a screw 'shejlLwhich houses and holds an electric bulb securely fastened thereto. The screw shell serves as the second contact for the lamp circuit.

Y'When assembled, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, it is to be noted that the contacts or :prongs C and F are aligned "to project through suitable openings 10 and 1 2 in the shell B. There are well defined cavity openings in the 'shellBiorholding the prong -'C in position. Aloca'ting wall 14 in the cavity B serves to a'li-gn the contact prong C in one predetermined position. A notch 16 receives an extension 1 8 on the contact prongto interiit therewith so that the contact prong C cannot rotate-and is definitelylocated in position. A circular opening 20 on tl're interionof molded cavity B serves to receive the'circu la-rend 2'2 oft-he rotatable switch knob The end of the switch button 22 "is flat-and is adapted to be rotated 'so thatitsedg'e 24A ean'press against the side-26 of the spring contact D to force the end 28 of the spring contact against the lateral extension 18 on the contact prong. Thus, to open the switch, the knob handle E is rotated so that the spring contact D will spring away from physical engagement with the contact prong C (see Figs.

3 and 5), or to close the circuit the knob handle E forces the spring Contact D in engagement with the contact prong C.

It is to be noted that the spring contact D has at its upper portion a downwardly turned end 30, an offset 32 and then a substantially parallel portion 34, which is substantially parallel to the end 30. Another offset 36 of the spring contact D is integrally formed with the flexing part of the arm 26.

The portion 30, 32 and 34 of the spring contact arm D of the switch fits within a suitable recess 38 and 40 in the cavity B. The shoulder 36 of the contact D is adapted to abut a shoulder 42 of the casing B whereby the bend ing or flexing of the spring arm 26 is limited and whereby the spring contact D will have a tendency to spring out of electrical engagement with the spring contact portion 18 in order to make a quick electrical break to prevent freezing of the contact. The oliset 32 of the spring contact arm D is adapted to have the central portion of the screw type bulb G engage it in order to provide one side of the electrical circuit through the lamp. An elongated recess 44 in the casing B and a mirror image recess 44A in the casing A serves to receive the connecting portion 46 of the prong F and at the end of the connecting portion 46 of the prong F a screw type bulb receptacle 48 is securely attached, which receptacle is adapted to receive a volt miniature type of electrical bulb.

The support 46A for the screw type receptacle 48 extends into a recess 41 in the molded shell B. The edge 44B is adapted to be abutted by the connecting portion 46 and when a bulb G is screwed into the receptacle, the force of the bulb against the surface 32 of the spring contact arm D will not force the receptacle a. 3 out of the molded shell B. If the bulb G should be tightly screwed against the surface 32, the extension 46A abuts against the wall of its recess and the edge 44B is abutted by the connecting portion 46. This construction enables the various elements to withstand hard usage.

The molded shell portion A has a cavity therein 49A which serves as a shade. Hence, the shell A serves the dual purpose of serving as a shell for the electrical members and also as a shade for the lamp.

Mirror image recesses appear in each of the cavities A and B to appropriately align the electrical parts. The shell A (Fig. 2) has mirror image recesses 38A, 40A and 42A, of the recesses 38, 40 and 42 respectively of the shell B (Fig. 6). T he wall 14A in shell A is aligned with the wall 14 of shell B. It should be noted that the circular enlarged portion 50 of the button E is adapted to rotate within a cavity 52 of the shade A and that the pintle 22 on the end of the turn control button E is adapted to rest on a bearing 20 in the shellB. In other words, an opening 54 through the shell A receives the turn knob E and then the enlarged portion 50 fits within the cavity 52 to ride upon the bearing 56A (Fig. 2) and the flat portion 24 of the turn knob button is adapted to ride between a wall 56 (Fig. 3) of the cavity 52 and the spring portion 26 of the unit. The ends 24A, 24A serve to engage the wall 56 and the flexible arm 26 whereby electrical contact is made between the prong C and the spring contact D. This provides for that it provides a pair of prongs to fit into a convenience receptacle, the bulb G is screwed into the socket 48 and the switch can make or break the electrical circuit by way of the contact prong C and the spring contact D. The shade 49 shields the bulb from direct glare.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Iclairn:

A night light comprising a plug base made of a pair of molded shells, a pair of electrical prongs partially projecting through openings in one of said molded shells, a switch mounted within said molded shells, saidswitch including a spring contact, one end of said spring contact being adapted to engage one of said prongs and the other end of said spring contact being adapted to engage a portion of an electric lightbulb, a rotatable handle of insulating material within a cavity of said molded shells and extending exteriorly of said night light, a fiat portion of insulating'material as part of said handle and being adapted to have an edge of said flat portion press said one end of said spring contact against one of said prongs, a plurality of cavities within said shells whereby said prongs are held only by said pair of molded shells to securely hold said prongs firmly in position,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,038 Benander Aug. 4, 1942 2,595,799 Ludwig May 6, 1952 

